Learn more about SmartFees by clicking on any of the below points:

We make switching easy

We can download all of your active formal and informal enrolments and their attendance history from CCMS into your new SmartFees data file. There is no need for you to exit your enrolments in your current system.

SmartFees Support

Your SmartFees Licence Fee includes product support.

The SmartFees Support Team is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (AEST/AEDST) to answer your SmartFees related queries. Support covers phone and email assistance with functional and operational queries, for example, how to create a new enrolment, how to submit an attendance, which report to run to get specific information.

Our SmartFees Support Team uses a software application which allows us to see your screen as you work on it, taking any guess work out of solving a problem and saving you time.

SmartFees CCMS Automatic Payment Options

All fee payments are directly deposited into your service’s bank account, eliminating the need to take money or cheques to the bank.

Parents are more likely to stay up to date with payments if payments are handled electronically.

SmartFees Direct Debit

Child care centres can save $10,000 a year by using the Direct Debit function in SmartFees. What's even more of an advantage is that it saves days of administration time and there's no additional cost to run it. SmartFees DirectDebit is simple to activate plus centres will receive free training and ongoing support.

What are the benefits?

For centres:

1. Save money

(a) Automatic payments made by parent is proven to:

Improve cash flow by 11%

Reduce late payments by 40%

Reduce bad debts by 50%

Collect fees earlier

Total impact is estimated at $12,000 p.a

(b) Reduce bank fees and no terminal fees

Savings of $10,000 p.a

2. Save time

Streamline fee collection

Fewer late fees to chase

Automatic reconciliation

Parents can simply pay online by credit card when they receive your statement

Helps to avoid mistakes by eliminating manual payment entry

3. You’re in control

You decide which options to offer parents

You set the business rules

4. No cost

You can pass the low processing cost to the parents as most merchants do

Alternatively, absorb the cost to make it free to parents

There is no minimum usage

5. No changes to your existing bank systems or software

Connects to your existing centre software

6. Maintain your relationship with parents

Don’t be tarnished by money discussions

7. Reduce cash on premises

Improve centre security

8. Appeals to parents

96% of parents choose ChildCare EasyPay

9. A donation to the Centre

$500 gift card every year to spend on your centre for promoting Childcare EasyPay on your invoices

SmartFees VM FAQs

What is SmartFees VM?VM stands for Virtual Machine. With SmartFees VM, your entire SmartFees system is hosted on our secure server, rather than your own computer.

How does SmartFees VM work? You will login to the SmartFees VM from any computer or tablet with the required internet connection and the remote desktop application (RDP Client). An RDP Client is preinstalled on all Windows machines and is also available at no charge for Apple and Android devices. Once logged in, it will look like a normal session on your local computer. You will have your own secure user profile so that only you can see your SmartFees data.

What are the main differences between SmartFees VM Classic and SmartFees VM Lite?SmartFees VM Lite has been created to address the needs of smaller or starting services. It operates with a single concurrent user (one person at a time) and doesn’t attract Direct Debit volume rebates. A centre can quickly and easily upgrade from VM Lite to VM Classic at any time and only pay the new monthly license (no switching charge).

How can I save money with Smartfees VM Classic? One of the most important benefits of SmartFees VM Classic is the opportunity for you to save money by taking advantage of our Direct Debit volume rebates with our partner Zenith (ChildCare EasyPay).

Will I still have to do backups every day?No. Your SmartFees data file will be automatically backed-up every night and stored in 2 separate, secure locations within Australia. You will never need to remember to do backups again.

Will I still have to install upgrades? No. Upgrades will be done seamlessly by the SmartFees team. When an upgrade is released, you will simply be advised on the functional changes/additions made. No installations, no downloads, no configurations, no reading of installation instructions. You will never need to worry about installing upgrades again.

Can I access SmartFees from anywhere? Yes. You can login to SmartFees VM Classic or VM Lite from any computer that has a minimum ADSL 1 internet connection (ADSL2+ recommended). You can work from your service or home and never worry again about copying your data file from one computer to another, or accidentally updating the wrong copy of your data file. You can even use your iPad to access SmartFees VM Classic and VM Lite.

Can I still print reports? Yes. You can still print SmartFees reports to your own local printer from SmartFees VM.

How does CCMS submission work in SmartFees VM? All current interfaces, including CCMS, ChildCare EasyPay for Direct Debit, SmartFees Online and MYOB, will work in exactly the same way on all versions.

Is SmartFees VM Secure? Yes. Your service's installation of SmartFees and your SmartFees data file will live in its own location on the VM server so that no-one else but you and SmartFees support staff can see it.

Each service using SmartFees VM will be allocated user access accounts. Each user will have a unique and secure username and password which gives that user access to their own data. You will connect to the SmartFees VM environment via a desktop shortcut which we will provide you. SmartFees VM Lite subscribers will receive 1 user access account. SmartFees VM Classic subscribers will receive 2 access accounts. If your service needs more than 2 user accounts, that can be arranged too.

Is SmartFees Support any different depending on which license you choose? The prompt, friendly and high quality support you receive from our SmartFees Team will only get better if you move from SmartFees Desktop to either SmartFees VM Classic or VM Lite. SmartFees VM allows us to provide you with more instant and hands-on support when you have a query. With your permission, SmartFees support staff can log into your data at the same time as you and see what you are doing and address your questions together with you. We can even fix any of your CCMS records if you need us too. It's just like we are sitting next to you – wherever you are!

Optional Extras with SmartFees VM:MYOB Hosting: If you use the SmartFees/MYOB interface, you may wish to also run MYOB from our VM hosted server, allowing you to still automatically update MYOB from SmartFees. You must be using MYOB Version 19x to host it on SmartFees VM.

How do I sign up for SmartFees VM?Visit out purchasing page and follow the prompts.

Other FAQs

Does anyone else apart from the parent have access to the child's information?No, unless they give out their secure user login and password. Other parents using SmartCentral are provided with a different user login and password. Service staff will have access as they do already.

When making an online payment using a credit card, will the credit card number be stored anywhere?No credit card details are stored within SmartCentral. Credit card payments are processed using the SecurePay service which processes secure transactions. Visit the SecurePay website for more information - www.securepay.com.au

Which credit cards can be used?At this stage either Visa or Mastercard.

The help that we receive from your help desk is fantastic. We can ask as many silly questions as we like and the ladies are always so accommodating and genuinely interested in reaching a solution for us. They are never patronising or dismissive and I feel completely confident in contacting them whenever I need assistance.